This article originally appeared on Dr. Mahaney’s Pet-Lebrity News column on Pet360.com as Pets in the Desert at Coachella Reinforces the Need for Heat Safety Precautions.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a three-day music festival spanning two weekends in the springtime heat of the California desert, isn't exactly where we would expect to see a canine or feline companion, and the good thing is that this has been my experience having been to the festival three times. However, photos of a certain celebrity’s pet have been featured on social media around the time of this year’s event.
During the first weekend of Coachella 2015, Justin Bieber’s Instagram feed included a photo of him canoodling with Kylie Jenner and his new his canine companion, Esther (perhaps an homage to Madonna’s Kabbala name) at a private home in the desert. An additional photo of Bieber cuddling with Esther was also posted.
Esther appears to be Yorkshire Terrier puppy. The adult Yorkshire Terrier typically appears vastly different, with greyed-appearance, to the glossy black and lighter-tan tones to the deep brown of puppyhood. They can be great dogs when well cared for, especially as pertains to preventing periodontal disease. After all, we veterinarians have a special term for the advanced state of tooth and gum disease we see in most Yorkshire Terriers: Yorkie mouth.
Considering Bieber and Esther have been seen exiting private planes and dining out at Maestro’s in Beverly Hills (see TMZ article Justin Bieber: Please Have Mercy on This Puppy!), she’s likely been exposed to climates beyond that which she experiences when she is kept in southern California. Because Esther appears to be a puppy of less than six months of age, she doesn't yet have a fully formed immune system and could be prone to illness as a result of being exposed to continually varying environmental temperatures and humidity.
Fortunately, the photos of Bieber, Jenner and Esther show them relaxing on a grassy lawn and responsibly seeking refuge in the shade. Surviving the scorching sun and heat during Coachella drives home the need for owners to responsibly look out for their pet’s ability to stay cool and well hydrated during warmer months. Here are my top pet heat safety tips:
Keep Your Pet’s Environment Climate Controlled
Elevated temperatures associated with warm weather create a variety of health risks for pets. Cats and dogs rid their bodies of heat primarily through the respiratory tract (trachea and lungs). The skin dissipates some heat, but pets lack the ability to sweat like people and therefore can’t easily acclimate to hot or humid climates. Summertime heat increases the risk hyperthermia (elevation in body temperature above the normal 100-102.5F range). Prolonged or severe hyperthermia can cause your pet to exhibit lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, multi-system organ failure, prolonged blood clotting times, seizures, coma and death.
Brachycephalic (short faced, like the English Bulldog and Pug) breeds, geriatric, juvenile (like Esther), overweight or obese, and sick pets have an increased difficulty maintaining a normal body temperature during warm seasons.
When it’s warm enough for your to feel concerned for your own comfort, provide consistent air conditioning and circulation to keep your pet cool both indoors and during vehicular travel. Additionally, never leave pet your unattended pet in a car, as vehicles can quickly become glass coffins for pets.
Schedule Your Pet’s Activity During Cooler Times of the Day
Even if you think your pet can handle it, don’t provide rigorous exercise in hot or humid environments. Dawn, dusk and evening hours have the coolest temperatures and provide the safest times for fitness. Yet, these more-appropriate pet exercise times should be avoided in regions having a heavy population of mosquitos or other biting-insects.
Provide rest, shade, and hydration at least every 15 minutes during exercise to ward off hyperthermia and dehydration. If your pooch refuses to run or walk, never force him to continue and schedule an examination with your veterinarian to explore for underlying health problems.
Prepare Your Pet’s Coat and Skin for Summer
Another essential component to maintaining a pet’s normal body temperature is proper coat care. A well-groomed coat permits air circulation at the skin surface and heat transfer out of the body.
Most cats and dogs have a protective hair coat covering body surfaces, but sunburn is still a risk during sunny months or for those living in balmy climates. Pink-skinned, light-colored, and thin-coated pets are especially susceptible to sunburn.
The nose, ears and areas of exposed skin can be covered with pet-appropriate clothing or sunscreen lacking salicylates and zinc oxide (which are toxic if ingested). Epi-Pet Sun Protector Sunscreen is the only product currently available that meets the Food & Drug Administration's safety standards for dogs. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends sunscreen application at least 30 minutes prior to sun exposure.
I hope that we see more photos of Esther posted by Bieber in the near future, and having her wearing a collar with some form of identification would help to improve his tarnished reputation as a pet owner (see Justin Bieber’s Monkey Kept From Entering Germany).
Thank you for reading this article. Your questions and comments are completely welcome (I’ll respond). Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook. Copyright of this article (2015) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.